1872. ] 
PROTECTING THE STEMS OF VINES, ETC. 
83 
stubborn subsoil thrown out of the ditch-bottom. During the drought of 
summer its natural root-run becomes bound as with iron fetters, and yet see how 
it runs into shoots brown and strong, of one, two, and even three yards in length. 
Obviously a hard run suits it in a state of nature. Why should it not also, when 
the roots get a new crown of greater beauty ? Why not indeed ? It does suit it, 
and this is my second fact. As a matter of experience, we find that a stiff loam 
trembling on the verge of clay suits roses best. Whatever else the soil has or 
lacks, it must have stiffness, if it is to grow roses to perfection for any length of 
time. . Advisedly I put in this last clause about time, for no doubt by excessive 
manuring very fine roses have been grown on sandy, and indeed on all kinds of 
soil. But in their case it is the manure rather than the earth that helps the 
roses, and this question is not what may, can, or has been done under exceptional 
circumstances, but what soil suits roses best as a rule. The answer, I think, 
must be a stiff loam approaching to clay. 
Another practical point of great importance is whether something beneficial 
might not be done to harden light and loose soils by artificial means for the 
cultivation of roses. I think a good deal may be accomplished. A very slight 
addition of clay exerts a powerful binding influence on light soils. Again, cow- 
dung has a similar, though less powerful effect. Mere mechanical compression 
before planting with a rammer, or only treading the soil firmly down by the feet 
of man or horse, helps to make and keep it hard. All this compression 
should take place before planting ; and it serves a double purpose. It hardens 
the root-runs of the roses, and likewise prevents the plants from being hung to 
the stakes by the soil subsiding away from beneath. The latter is one of the 
most common and disastrous catastrophes that happen to newly planted roses. 
Perhaps Mr. William Paul, who has been giving such charmingly instructive 
chapters on roses, will kindly tell us what he thinks about a hard soil for his 
favourites.—D. T. Fish, Hardwicke. 
PROTECTING THE STEMS OF VINES, Etc. 
5|^0RMERLY it was more usual than now to see the stems of Vines outside 
a vinery, protected with hay-bands during the winter and spring. When 
yVy that covering was neglected, or taken off too soon, the vines were liable to 
injury"? ^ the following instance will show :—Some years back, at about the 
end of April, a neighbour of mine had the stems of his young vines exposed to severe 
frost and snow, when the crop was in blossom. In the morning the stems were 
covered with icicles, and when bright sunshine appeared the leaves and tender 
shoots turned black, owing to the sap-vessels being frozen. I need not relate the 
evil results of this upon the crop. That sad affair, however, reminds me of Mr. 
Standstill’s very interesting account (p. 281,1871) of two distinct crops of excellent 
grapes perfected last season, on two different parts of a vine, one in May, the other 
in October, the result of the vine being trained from a stove into a greenhouse. But 
what Mr. Standstill considers most remarkable is that the centre 25 ft. of the vine 
